Match-splint machine.



E. J. STERBA & J. H. BIRCH. MATCH SPLINT MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED TERA, 1909. 944,519, Patented Dec.28, 1909. 6SHEETS--SEEET 1. /4.6' 1 1 1. A w W Qwveutou) q vdweoow .75/2 2: 42 g5.fiz'rc/z. M m dWtZid .ffltrlral,

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MATCH SPLINT MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. r

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944,519. Patented Dec.28,1909.

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E. J. STERBA 8: J. H. BIRCH.

MATCH SPLINT MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED FEBA, 1909.

944,519. Patented Dec.28, 1909.

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E. J. STERBA & J. H. BIRCH MATCH SPLINT MAGHINB. APPLICATION FILED P214,1909.

Patented Dec.28,1909.

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munzw UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTQE,

EDWARD J. STERBA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND JOHN HAYS BIRCH, 0FORAWFORDS- VILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO INDIANA MATCH COMPANY, OFCRAWFOBDS- VILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

MATCH-SPLINT MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed February 4, 1909. Serial No. 475,981.

. To all whom it may concern:

desired width and thickness and producing therefrom match splints, andloading the same automatically into a special carrier by means of whichsaid splints may be carried through a series of operations andmanipulations emerging from the said carrier as completed matchespreferably in a machine (forming the subject-matter of companionapplication Ser. No. 475,982) by means of which the completed matchesare automatically loaded in predetermined quantities into separatereceptacles; the carrier preliminarily passing through a dry kiln andframe which forms the subject-matter of another companion applicationSerial Number 475,983.

The accompanying drawings illustrate our invention.

Figure 1 is a plan of the splint-producing machine; Fig. 2 a sideelevation; Fig. 3 a front elevation; Fig. 4 a detail of the ribbonfeeder; F ig. 5 a rear elevation; Fig. 6 a section 011 an enlargedscale, on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a section, on an enlarged scale, online 77 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 a sectional detail, on a still larger scale,of the parts shown in Fig. 7 and illustrating the manner of passage ofthe ribbon through the splint-forming rolls; Fig. 9 an elevation of aportion of one of the splint-forming rolls, showing the manner ofcooperation of one of the stripper bars; Fig. 10 a fragmentary plan ofthe crotch of the two splint forming rolls showing the separated splintsin cross section therebetween; Fig. 11 a horizontal sectional detail ofthe ribbon cutting mechanism and associated parts, the plane of thesection at the center of the figure being above the splint-forming rollsand through the feed chute, while at the right hand end the plane of thesection is substantially coincident with the axes of the splint-formingrolls; Fig. 12 a detail of one end of one of the splint carriers with nosplints in position; Fig. 13 a fragmentary detail plan of a middleportion of a splint carrier with splints in position; Fig. 14 a plandetail of the mechanism for positioning and opening a splint carrier;Fig. 15 a section on line 1 5l5 of Fig. 14; Fig. 16 a fragmentarysection on line l6l6 of Fig. 14; Fig. 17 a vertical sectional detail ofthe mounting for one end of the splint-forming rolls, and Fig. 18 adiagram of the driving gearing.

In the drawings, 21 indicates the main frame of the machine on which arejournaled two cooperating splint-forming-rolls 22 and 23. It is verynecessary that these splint-forming rolls be firmly held in relation toeach other and they are therefore supported at each end in bearingblocks 22 and 23 respectively. One side of the block 22 is inclined, at24 so as to receive a wedge block 25 supported upon a stud 26 the upperend of which is threaded to receive a temper screw 27, the wedge 25being normally urged up against the temper screw by means of a spring28. Roll 22 is provided with a plurality of pairs of cutting flanges 29which are straight upon their outer faces but are beveled upon theiradjacent faces and the straight faces of adjacent pairs of cutters areseparated to form a groove 30 having a width equal to the distancebetween the straight faces of a pair of cutting 'fianges 29. Similarly,the cutting roll 23 is provided with a plurality of pairs of cuttingflanges 31 which are separated by grooves 32. The several cuttingflanges must be accurately formed and spaced so that when the two rollsare brought together the cutting flanges 29 of roll 22 will enter andaccurately fit in grooves 32 of roll 23 and the cutting flanges 31 ofroll 23 will similarly enter and fit grooves 30 of roll 22. The amountof entrance of the cutting flanges of one roll between the cuttingflanges of the other roll is only a trifle, as indicated in Fig. 8, andcooperating with eachroll is a stripper 'bar 33 having fingers '34:which pass into the grooves 30 or 32 close to the bottom thereof, theupper edges of said fingers 34: lying a little below the axial plane ofthe rolls 22 and 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

Arranged above the plane of the rolls 22 and 23, in the line of thecrotch between said rolls, is a ribbon guide 35 which is adapted toreceive the ribbon 36 from which the match splints are to be formed.This ribbon may be of any desirable material, paper, straw board, wood,etc., although we prefer a ribbon of wood veneer which has beenthoroughly softened by steam, the grain of the veneer running with thewidth of the ribbon.

Arranged at the receiving end of guide 35, upon opposite sides thereof,are two feed rolls 37 and 38. Roll 38 is journaled in a suitable bracket39 which is yieldingly urged toward roll 37 by means of a spring 41. Theshaft of roll 37 carries a pinion 12 meshing with a gear 13 which inturn carries a gear 4 1 meshing with a gear 45 carried by a ratchet 16operated by means of a pawl 47, arm 18, and link 19. The two rolls 37and 38 are geared together by means of gears 37' and 38 respectively.

Leading to the crotch between the feed rolls 37 and 38 is a ribbon guide51. The ribbon guide 35 may, if desired, be continued substantiallyintegrally the entire length of those portions of rolls 22 and 23provided with cutting flanges, but we have found in practice that thereare times when there is a choking of the cutting rolls by the splintstock and that it is therefore desirable to provide means by whichaccess may be readily had to the crotch or throat between the cutterrolls. \Ve therefore end the guide 35 at or about the beginning of thatportion of the feed rolls provided with cutting flanges and at thedischarge end of the guide 35 we arrange a stationary cutter block 52coiiperatingwith and guiding a reciprocating knife 53 which is mountedin a suitable guide block 54. Knife 53 has a cut ting edge which standssubstantially vertically (Fig. 7) parallel with the plane of the ribbonbut its rear edge 53 is inclined and rests upon a correspondinglyinclined portion of the guide block 54 so that a downward movement ofthe knife will cause its cutting edge to pass across the plane of theribbon guide to sever the ribbon. Knife 35 overlaps block 52, at the topand bottom edges of the veneer ribbon and then forces the knife toproperly traverse the ribbon and cut it squarely. Knife 53 is providedwith a pin 55 which lies within a slot formed in the end of an operatingarm 56 carried by a rock shaft 57. Rock shaft 57 is provided with an arm58 (Fig. 2) connected by a link 59 with a cam slide 61 having a pin 62(dotted lines Fig. 2) which takes into the cam 63 carried by shaft 64:.Shaft 64: is connected by gears 65, 66 with a shaft 67 connected bysuitable gearing with the main drive shaft 68 as hereafter explained.Shaft 6 1, at its upper end, is provided with a gear 69 meshing withgear.7l carried by roll 23, and the two rolls 22 and 23 are gearedtogether by means of gears 72 and 73.

In order to accurately gage the length of ribbon fed each time to thefeed rolls, we arrange, at the required distance from the cutter 52, astop 74 (Fig. 11) and the friction between the feed rolls 37 and 38 isonly suflicient 1 0 drive the ribbon without buckling the same when itcomes in engagement with the stop 74. \Ve find it desirable however toaccurately support the ribbon during the time it is being cut from thesupply, and also while the severed portion is being fed to thesplint-forming rolls. lVe therefore provide guiding and supporting meansfor the severed portion of the ribbon of such character that access maybe readily had to the throat between the splint forming rolls so as tomake it easily possible to clear the throat of debris. The guidereferred to comprises a stationary plate 81, (Fig. 11) which, at itsreceiving end, is slightly flared at 82 so as to insure the entrance ofthe ribbon from the cutter block 52. OoEiperating with the plate 81,parallel therewith and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equalto the thickness of the splint ribbon, is a plate 83 which, at itsreceiving end is also slightly outwardly flared. Plate 83 is carriedupon the ends of an arm or bracket 841 pivoted at 85 to a suitablestationary support so that the plate 83 may be readily swung to theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7, thus giving free access tothe throat between the splint-forming rolls.

\Ve have found by experience that it is absolutely essential, for theproper operation of the splint-forming rolls, that the splint ribbon befed squarely and accurately thereto and in order to insure such feedingwe mount, in the inner face of plate 83, a stop bar 86 (Figs. 7 and 8)which is yieldingly urged outwardly by a light spring 87 so that thestop bar isnormally projected a part of the distance between plates 81and 83 so that the severed portion of the splint ribbon 36 cannotpossibly drop down into engagement with the two splint-forming rolls.WVith this arrangement, positive feeding mechanism for feeding thesevered portion of the ribbon to the splint-forming rolls is necessaryand we therefore provide a vertically reciprocable plunger-plate 88adapted to be brought down into engagement with the upper edge of thesevered portion of the splint ribbon and project the same downwardlypast bar 86 and into the crotch between the splint-forming rolls. Theplunger 88 needs to be accurately driven through its movement and wetherefore provide a pair of arms 91, 91 connected at their free ends toplate 88 and at their other ends carried by a rock shaft 92 providedwith an arm 93 (Fig. 2) connected by a link 94 with a cam slide 95 (Fig.3) engaged by a cam gear 96 carried by shaft 67.

In order to automatically receive the splints after they have been cutby the splint-forming rolls, we have provided a special endless belt, G,into which the splints are automatically delivered and by means of whichthey may be carried through the successive mechanisms and operations bywhich they are formed into complete matches. This endless belt Ccomprises a pair of endless chains ],01, 101 by means of which it may bedriven, and connecting these chains, at uniform intervals, are a greatnumber of splint-carriers S. Each splint carrier S comprises a main bar102 having, upon one edge, a plurality of fingers 103 which areseparated a distance equal "to the width of the fingers and at the basesof the fingers are formed slight conical depressions 104 whichfacilitate the introduction of splints between the bases of the fingers.Cooperating with bar 102 is a bar 105 which is provided with a pluralityof fingers 106 exactly like fingers 103 and interdigitated therewith,the crotch between the bases of the fingers 106 being provided withconical depressions 107 like the depressions 104. The tips of fingers103 and 106 are slightly cupped, as clearly shown in Fig. 12, to matchthe cupping at 104 and 107. The length of the fingers 103 and 106 issubstantially equal to the transverse displacement of alternate matchsplints produced by the interact-ion of the splint forming rolls 22 and23. Each bar 102 carries, at each end, a transversely projecting pin 108upon which the cooperating bar 105 is slidably mounted, and a spring 109surrounds each pin 108 and urges the bar 105 toward its bar 102 with asuflicient. force to properly grip the splint-s. The splint carriers Sare successively brought to a position immediately below the stripperbars 33 (Fig. 7) and for that purpose chains 101 run over guide'blocks111 carried by a cross head 112 vertically m0vable in the main frame bymeans of cam slides 113 (Fig. 3) the pin114 of each of which lies withina cam-groove formed in one face of .a cam-disk 115 carried by shaft 67.There are two of the cam-disks 115 and the cam-grooves for operating theslides 113 are formed in the outer faces of said camdisks. It has notbeen deemed necessary to illustrate the exact form of these grooves asthey are ordinary cam grooves laid out in accordance with well knownprinciples to accomplish the desired motions at the clesired times.

In order to properly position the successive splint-carriers S relativeto receiving position. we mount in each guide block 111. I I l 138 bothof which are carried by a shaft 139.

a pair of stop fingers 116 which are adapted to come up behind the twoadjacent bars 102 (one of which is immediately in splint-receivingposition and the other of which is passed beyond the receivingposition). The stop fingers 116 are beveled on their back sides, and arenormally urged upwardly by light springs 117 so that the carriers S maypass easily over them in the forward direction.

In order to separate the bars 105 from their bars 102, each bar 105 isprovided, at each end, immediately adjacentbar 102, with a Wedge shapedrecess 118 into which may be projected a wedge shaped finger 119. Thereare two of these wedge shaped fingers 119 in each guide block 111 ateach end of the head 112, and they are spaced apart a distance equal tothe spacing between the two splint carriers S. The two fingers 119 ateach end are connected by a plunger 120 (Fig. 3) and said lungers areconnected by cross bar 120, wlth a pair of cam slides 120 which camslides are each provided with a cam pin 120' passing into a suitablyformed cam-groove formed in the inner adj acent faces of the cam disks115.

The cutter rolls cannot project the splints very far into the carriersand therefore, beneath the position occupied by each splint carrier Simmediately succeeding its time of reception of splints, cross head 112is provided with an evening bar 121 (Fig. 7) upon which the splints arepermitted to drop and toward which they are urged by means of a bar 122placed above the carrier.

In order to insure accuracy of placement of the splint-carriers Srelative to the splint producing mechanism, cross head 112 is providedwith a pair of parallel shafts 123, 124 upon which are mounted, at eachend, sprocket wheels 125 over which the chains 101 run. Shaft 124carries a ratchet wheel 126 (Fig. 1) engaged by a pawl 127 carried by anarm 128 journaled on shaft 124. In order to insure exact evening of thesplints in the carriers, the chains 101 are passed over sprocketwheels129 and 130 carried by a pair of shafts 129 and 130 respectively, journaled at the rear of the main frame (see Figs. 2 and 6). Betweenthese two setsof sprocket wheels we mount a pair of chain guides 131,131 over which the chains 101 may run and above each of these chainguides 131 we mount a cooperating guide 132 which is provided with adownwardly extending finger 133, supporting the adja cent guides 131 andserving to prevent lateral displacement of the carrier. A. verticallymovable cross head 134 is mounted in suitable ways at the rear end ofthe machine and is connected to a pair of cam slides 135 the pin 136 ofeach of which lies within a suitablv formed cam groove formed in theouter face of one of a pair of cam disks 138.

Cross head 134 carries a leveling bar or surface 141 adapted to engagethe match splints and move them upwardly through the carriers S intoengagement with a gage plate or surface 142 (Fig. 6). In order toseparate the bars of each carrier S above bar 141, we provide separatingfingers 143 carried by cam slides 144 the pins of which enter suitablecam grooves formed in the inner faces of cam disks 138. Shaft 130 isprovided with a ratchet 145 engaged by a pawl 146 carried by an arm 147journaled on shaft 130 and connected to arm 128 by means of a link 148.It is desirable that the shafts 124 and 129 be so placed that there willbe a slight amount of slack in the carrier C as shown by the dottedlines in Fig. 2. The two shafts 124 and 130 are simultaneously advancedstep-by-step by means of an arm 151 connected to arm 147 and connectedby a link 152 with a cam slide 153 (Fig. 5) the pin 154 of which lieswithin a suitably formed cam groove in a cam disk 155 carried by shaft139.

Shaft 67 is connected by means of cam gear 96 with a pinion 161 carriedby jack shaft 162 which also carries a bevel gear 163 meshing with abevel gear 164 carried by the main drive shaft 68, which we also use fordriving the driven members of the drying mechanism which forms thesubject-matter of one copencling application already mentioned. Shaft 67carries a bevel gear 165 which meshes with a gear, 166 carried by ashaft 167 which, at its rear end, is provided with a bevel pinion 168meshing with a bevel pinion 169 carried by shaft 139. Link 49 isconnected to a cam slide 171 (Fig. 3)

the pin 172 of which lies within a suitably formed cam groove in a camdisk 173 carried by shaft 67.

The operation is as follows: A splint ribbon, of any suitable material,as previously mentioned, and in proper condition, is delivered to thefeed rolls 37 and 38 and by them intermittently delivered to the spacebetween plates 55 and 83 above the stop bar 86. Knife 53 is thenreciprocated so as to sever a portion of the splint ribbon from the mainbody and this portion of the splint ribbon will lie upon or above thestop bar 86. Plunger 88 is then brought down upon the severed portion ofthe splint ribbon and at its first action evens the ribbon up upon thestop bar 86 so that the lower edge of the ribbon is in exact parallelismwith the axes of the splint-forming rolls. Further clownward movement ofplunger 88 projects the severed portion of the splint ribbon squarelyinto the crotch between the splint-forming rolls (bar 86 serving toprevent any dropping of the ribbon) and drives the ribbon downwardbetween the rolls until the rolls themselves have taken a sufiicientgrip upon the ribbon to finish the propulsion thereof. The

ribbon passes through between the splintforming rolls in the mannershown in Fig. 8, the cutters of the rolls cutting the ribbon, withoutwaste of material into splints which are alternately laterally displacedfrom the original plane of the ribbon. As the splints pass downward withthe rolls they stick in the grooves thereof and are engaged by thestripper fingers 34 and by them pried out of the grooves 31 and 32, theaction and condition of material of the splint being such that thesplints s are straightened upon the stripping faces of the stripper bars33 as clearly shown in Fig. 8. Before the splints s have passed throughthe splint-forming rolls, one of the splint carriers S has been broughtimmediately beneath the stripper bars (as clearly shown in Fig. 7), byadvancement of gears 125 and an upward movement of the cross head 112,and an upward movement of cross bar 120 has projected fingers 119 upwardinto the tapered recesses 118 of said splint carrier S and sep aratedits bar 105 from bar 102 by an amount slightly in excess of the crossdimension of the lower ends of the splints s, so that the splints s, asthey are driven down by the rotation of the splint forming rolls, arepropelled into the spaces between the roots of the fingers 103 and 106.Thereupon fingers 119 are withdrawn, cross head 112 is lowered so as towithdraw the splints from between the stripper bars, shaft 124 given anadvancement sufficient to bring a new splint carrier S into place, andthe operation is repeat ed the splint-forming rolls being continuouslyrotated during this time. On the repetition of the described operation,the splint carrier S, which has been previously filled, is operated uponby the forward set of fingers 119 so that, as cross head 112 is movedupwardly and fingers 119 are moved upwardly the splints in thepreviously filled splint carrier S are released so that they may dropdown upon the leveling bar 121, being urged to that position by theplate 122, as cross head 112 rises. The forward set of pins 119 is atrifle thicker than the first set so that the separation of the membersof the previously filled splint carrier S is slightly greater than theseparation of the members of the carrier which is being filled. Theoperation described is repeated in rapid succession and when thefirst-filled splint carrier S reaches a point above the leveling bar141, fingers 143 are projected into notches 118 of said splint carrierso as to free the splints and the leveling bar 141 is projected upwardlyto engage said splints and drive them upwardly through the splintcarrier into leveling engagement with the surface 142. From this pointthe belt C, comprising the filled splint carriers S. is carried onwardthrough drying, parafiining, dipping and further drying mechanism, theassemblage of which forms the subject-matter of one of the com-133111011 applications already mentioned and thence to an unloadingmachine, (which forms the subjectmatter of the other conipanionapplication already mentioned),and

thence returns to the splint-forming mechanism.

lVe claim as our invention l. A match machine comprising, a pair ofsplint-forming rolls having interdigitated cutting flanges, a guidearranged above the crotch of said rolls and adapted to receive a lengthof splint material, a stop arranged 111 said guide to normally preventthe splint material from passing to the rolls, and means for positivelyprojecting said splint material past said stop into engagement by thesplint-forming rolls.

2. A splint-forming machine comprising, a pair of splintforming rollshaving interdigitated cutting flanges, a guideway arranged above thecrotch of said rolls, a stop bar yieldingly projected into said guidewayand arranged parallel with the axes of the rolls, and means forpositively projecting lengths of splint material through said guide pastsaid stop bar and into engagement with the splint-forming rolls.

3. A splint-forming machine comprising, a pair of splint-forming rollshaving interdigitated cutting flanges, a guideway ar ranged above thecrotch of said rolls, a stop bar yieldingly projected into said guidewayand arranged parallel with the axes of the rolls, means forintermittently feeding a ribbon of splint material into said guide,means for severing predetermined lengths from the inner end of suchribbon, and means for positively projecting such predetermined lengthsof splint material through said guide past said stop bar and intoengagement with the splint-forming rolls.

4. In a splint-forming machine, the combination, with a pair ofsplint-forming rolls comprising interdigitated cutting flanges, of amaterial guide arranged adjacent the receiving crotch of said rolls,said material guide comprising two opposed members one withdrawable fromthe other, a stop bar yieldingly mounted in and projected from the innerface of one of said members, and a movable support for said movablemember whereby said member may be readily withdrawn to give free accessto the receiving throat or crotch between the splintforming rolls.

5. The combination, with a splint forming mechanism, of a carriercomprising a plurality of splint carrying members each comprising a pairof bars having interdigitated splint receiving fingers and means forclamping said bars together, a movable support comprising members forreceiving the splint carrier, means for moving the splint carrier stepby step to bring the successive members into alinement with splintforming mechanism,- the said splint forming meclianism, means for movingthe carrier support with its carrier toward and from the splint formingmechanism, means for separating the bars of each splint carrierlengthwise of its interdigitated fingers to receive the splints, andmeans for engaging, supporting and adjusting the splints relative to thesplint carrier when the fingers are separated.

6. A splint forming machine comprising a splint forming mechanism, aplurality of splint receivers adapted to receive splints from theforming mechanism, means for moving said receivers successively toalinement with the splint forming mechanism and beyond, means for movingsaid receivers toward and from the splint forming mechanism in adirection at an angle to the alining movement, means for temporarilyreleasing the splints in the splint receivers beyond splint receivingposition, means arranged in conjunction with the splint receiving meansfor supporting and leveling the splints within their receivers duringthe movement of the receivers to and from the splint forming mechanism,a second splint releasing means arranged at a farther point beyond thereceiving position, and a second leveling means arranged in conjunctionwith the second releasing means for re-leveling the splints Within theirreceivers.

7. In a splint forming mechanism, a splint carrier comprising a pair ofendless belts, a plurality of connecting cross bars between said belts,each of said cross bars carrying a plurality of separated fingers, acooperating bar mounted upon each of said first mentioned cross bars andeach carrying a plurality of separated fingers interdigitated with thefingers of the carrying bar, connections between each cross bar and itscooperating bar permitting movement of the cooperating bar upon itscarrying cross bar in a line substantially parallel with the fingers,and springs for yieldingly holding the cooperating bar upon its carryingcross bar with the fingers interdigitated to the greatest extent.

8. In a splint forming mechanism, a splint carrier comprising a pair ofendless belts, a plurality of connecting cross bars between said belts,each of said cross bars carrying a plurality of separated fingers, acooperating bar mounted upon each of said first mentioned cross bars andeach carrying a plu rality of separated fingers interdigitated with thefingers of the carrying bar, the receiving faces of said bars beingcupped between the fingers at the roots thereof, connections betweeneach cross bar and its cooperating bar permitting movement of thecooperating bar upon its carrying cross bar in a line substantiallyparallel with the fingels, and springs 'for yieldingly holding thecooperating bar' upon its carrying cross bar with the fingersinterdigitated to the greathaving interdigitated cutting flanges, a pairof stripper bars each having fingers interdigitated with the cuttingflanges of a roll, "said stripper bars having adjacent faces adapted toreceive and straighten the forming splints, a carrier comprising aplurality of splint receiving members each consisting of a pair of barshaving interdigitated splint-receiving fingers and relatively movable inthe line of interdigitation, means for presenting said splint carrierssuccessively into alinement with the forming splints, means for movingthe splint receiving members toward and from the splint forming rolls,means for separating the bars of each carrier when in splint receivingposition, means for clamping said bars of the carrier upon the splintswhen the separating means is withdrawn.

10. The combination, in a splint forming mechanism, of a pair of splintforming rolls having interdigitated cutting flanges, a pair of stripperbars each having fingers interdigitated with the cutting flanges of aroll, said stripper bars having adjacent faces adapted to receive andstraighten the forming splints, a carrier comprising a plurality ofsplint receiving members each consisting of a pair of bars havinginterdigitated splint-receiving fingers and relatively movable in theline of interdigitation, means for presenting said splint carrierssuccessively into alinement with the forming splints, means for movingthe splint receiving members toward and from the splint forming rolls,means for separating the bars of each carrier when in splint receivingposition, means for clamping said bars of the carrier upon the splintswhen the separating means is withdrawn, a splint support arrangedbeneath the splint carriers beyond splint receiving position, means foragain separating the bars of each carrier when in conjunction with saidsplint support, and means cooperating with said splint support forleveling the splints'within the carrier.

11. The combination, in a splint forming mechanism, of a pair of splintforming rolls having interdigitated cutting flanges, a pair of stripperbars each having fingers inter digitated with the cutting flanges of aroll, said stripper bars having adjacent faces adapted to receive andstraighten the form- "e i raie ing splints, a carrier comprising aplurality of splint receiving members each consisting of a pair of barshaving interdigitated splint-receiving fingers and relatively movable inthe line of interdigitation, means for presenting said splint carrierssuccessively into alinement with the forming splints, means for movingthe splint receiving members toward and from the splint forming rolls,means for separating the bars of each carrier when in splint receivingposition, means for clamping said bars of the carrier upon the splintswhen the separating means is withdrawn, a third separating meansarranged beyond the second separating means to again act upon the barsof the carrier, and a second leveling means arranged in conjunctionwithsaid third separating means.

12. The combination, in a splint forming mechanism, of a pair of splintforming rolls having interdigitated cutting flanges, a pair of stripperbars each having fingers interdigitated with the cutting flanges of aroll, said stripper bars having adjacent faces adapted to receive andstraighten the form ing splints, a carrier comprising a plurality ofsplint receiving members each consisting of a pair of bars havinginterdigitated splint-receiving fingers and relatively movable in theline of interdigitation, means for presenting said splint carrierssuccessively into alinement with the forming splints, means for movingthe splint receiving members toward and from the splint forming rolls,means for separating the bars of each carrier when in splint receivingposition, means for clamping said bars of the carrier upon the splintswhen the separating means is withdrawn, a splint support arrangedbeneath the splint carriers beyond splint receiving position, means foragain separating the bars of each carrier when in conjunction with saidsplint support, means cooperating with said splint support for levelingtheana, that 26 day of January, A. D. one

thousand nine hundred and nine.

EDWARD J. STERBA. a 8. JOHN HAYS BIRCH. a s.]

Witnesses:

E. L. JOHNSON, N. A. SIDENER.

